Queen Elizabeth II

QUEEN  ELIZABETH II  Coronation    Tuesday  2nd June 1953 - compiled from the souvenir programme

The town of Bourne has many associations with events in the history of the country and it is fitting that all residents, young and old, should join with the whole of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in commemoration and celebration of Her Majesty's Coronation. Numerous events have been arranged and in order that both young and old may take part, these will take place throughout the week beginning with Coronation Day which itself is mainly for the children, but the adults have not been forgotten. Souvenir gifts will be distributed to all children resident in the Urban District on Coronation Day. The Coronation Committee will undertake the decoration of the public buildings and the Market Place and the floodlighting of the Church, South Street and the Market Place. Residents are invited to decorate their own houses and buildings to add to the festivities of joy and acclamation.

On Coronation Day, a united service was held on the Abbey lawn at 10.30 a m conducted by the Anglican and Free Church ministers in the town and the March Railway Prize Silver Band lead the singing. A grand carnival procession was held through the town in the afternoon headed by the March band assisted by the Bourne St John Cadet Band, starting at Queen's Road and proceeding along Mill Drove, North Street, South Street, Austerby, Eastgate, Abbey road, to the Abbey Lawn gates and included mobile tableaux, private cars, fancy dress and decorated cycles. The parade was followed by sideshows and a fun fair on the Abbey Lawn with skittling for a pig, hoopla, rifle range, bowling for a pig, putting competitions, tombola and a bowls competition. Refreshments were served on the field. Throughout the afternoon, the March Railway Silver Prize Band played selections at frequent intervals.

All children living in the urban district and of school age were served with tea in the Corn Exchange and afterwards they attended a sports event for both children and adults on the Abbey Lawn where there were a series of events with valuable prizes including track and sprint events, the sack and egg and spoon races and a tug o' war for teams representing the various works and firms in the town. The day's celebrations ended with a fireworks display on the football field, a torchlight procession from Abbey Road, along West Street and West Road to Stamford Hill where a bonfire was lit and this was followed by a Grand Coronation Carnival dance at the Corn Exchange (admission 3s 6d) with music by the New Olympian Orchestra and which was relayed for dancing in the Market Place.

Other events during the week included a display by the fire brigade on the recreation ground, an old people's tea and entertainment in the Corn Exchange for all persons over the age of 65, a grand Coronation Gymkhana for children and young people on the football field with £50 in prizes, a Carnival Dance at the Corn Exchange and a Garden Competition for the best kept council house garden. A fund was also opened to pay for the planting of trees "and residents are invited to subscribe to this worthy endeavour to improve the approaches to the town".

The week of celebrations ended with a choral service of praise and thanksgiving in the Abbey Church with the combined church choirs of the town singing works by famous composers and accompanied by the March Railway Silver Prize Band, the various items interspersed with readings from the scriptures and English literature (collection to defray expenses).

QUEEN ELIZABETH II  Silver Jubilee - Tuesday 7th June 1977
The Silver Jubilee souvenir map of Bourne showing the route of the procession (right) was designed by Ken Wainwright and Rod Hoyle.

Twenty-five years after the royal wedding, the town was celebrating the Silver Jubilee with many houses decorated for the occasion and a series of events that began on Saturday 23rd April 1977 with a dance at the Corn Exchange when Miss Silver Jubilee was chosen and the judges named Christine Hurst for the task with attendants Shena Clare and Lynette Simmonds. A football match at the Abbey lawn followed on Tuesday 24th May between Bourne Town and the Jack Hall Select XI and a week later, on Tuesday 31st May, there was a whist drive at Digby Court. By the time the Jubilee week arrived, a lavish souvenir programme price 20p had been issued containing a message from the Mayor of Bourne, Councillor Ronald Alexander:

In common with. most other towns and villages we have arranged a number of events from 4th to 11th June in commemoration and celebration of the Silver Jubilee of H M the Queen. These events were planned to enable all the people of Bourne, whatever their age, to play their part in the celebrations. Support from the many organisations and business firms in the town has been outstanding and around 30 floats will appear in the Carnival Procession on 7th June.
Jubilee crowns will be distributed through the schools to all pupils and special arrangements announced in the Press for collection by parents whose children are too young to be in school. Older residents have not been forgotten and parcels will be taken to 100 homes. The WRVS will provide a special free dinner on 25th May through their Meals on Wheels service.
Congratulations to Miss Barbara Day who received the Girls Brigade Queen's Award on 7th May especially as only 28 were awarded throughout the United Kingdom this year. Barbara will be at Windsor where the main Jubilee celebrations are taking place and on Monday, 6th June take part in the Youth Spectacular which will culminate in a torchlight procession of young people escorting the Queen from the Castle to Snow Hill in the Windsor Great Park, where Her Majesty will light the first of a chain of bonfires throughout the country. Our bonfire on Stamford Hill will be part of that chain.
On behalf of the Town Council I thank all the advertisers who have made this Souvenir Programme possible and Messrs Warners for the magnificent production. Thanks too to the Festivities Committee and to members of all organisations who have been involved.
Public support is now required to make each event successful. May I appeal to you for this support and commend the programme to you.

The week began with a schools art exhibition at the Darby and Joan Club on Saturday 4th June and the following day, described as Civic Sunday, the Mayor lead a procession from the Town Hall to the Abbey Church accompanied by the Girls' Brigade Band. On Monday, there were sports including swimming at the open air pool and a cricket match between Bourne Cricket Club and Uffington, an annual game that had taken place since before World War II. Food gifts were handed out to 100 people in the parish and the day ended with a torchlight procession to see a bonfire lit on the top of Stamford Hill, the traditional location for such an event for centuries past with 2,000 people taking part on this occasion..

Jubilee Day on Tuesday 7th June was crammed with activities from morning until night including Punch and Judy for children, old time dancing and a dance at the Corn Exchange. But the highlight of the day was the Carnival Procession of 31 floats:

The celebrations continued until the weekend with a disco at the Abbey Church Hall, modern sequence dancing at Bourne Secondary School and a coffee morning at St Peter's Hospital on Saturday while street parties were held by residents in various parts of the town. The Rotary Club also had a jubilee project by providing a bus shelter in South Road near the hospital and although it has since closed, the shelter is still in service.

THE DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE QUEEN MOTHER 
- Saturday 30th March 2002

The Union Jack was flown at half mast outside the Town Hall in Bourne for two weeks as a mark of respect for the death of the Queen Mother at the age of 101. Many people paid touching tributes to her kindness and the Town Council sent a letter of sympathy to the Queen. A Book of Condolence was opened and remained available until April 12th before being sent to St James' Palace and among the first to sign was former mayor Councillor Don Fisher who recalled meeting her at Buckingham Palace in 1963 while serving as a sergeant with the Coldstream Guards. "She was charming and everyone loved her", he said. "I was most impressed by her friendly manner and her intention to talk to anyone and everyone."

The local newspapers were also filled with memories of her faithful duty and unwearying service and the loyalty and love which she inspired, particularly on those occasions whenever she visited the locality, and there were also many street interviews with those who merely wished to express their sorrow at her passing. The Vicar of Bourne, Canon John Warwick, announced that Her Royal Highness would be remembered in all of the services at the Abbey Church. On the day of the funeral, Tuesday 9th April, many shops in the town closed from 11 a m until 1 p m as a mark of respect while schools, business premises and offices observed two minutes' silence at 11 a m.

A special committee was set up in Bourne the year before to plan the celebrations for the Queen's Golden Jubilee that was held over four days in the summer of 2002, from Saturday 1st to Monday 4th June. An inaugural meeting was held in October 2001 when it was decided to raise £10,000 to finance the programme and during the ensuing months, the details were finalised for the celebration weekend including live entertainment, fireworks, a barbecue, street parties, exhibitions, a flower show, and of course a grand parade through the streets with the Jubilee Queen, Sherri Delaine-Smith, aged 14, on one of the leading floats with her attendants Kirsty Woodward, aged 13, and 12-year-old Archna Patel. 

The biggest attraction was on Bank Holiday Monday at the Wellhead Field where a huge marquee had been erected for the town's own Party in the Park, a feast of musical entertainment throughout the day and catering for all tastes ranging from ceilidh and rock to disco and brass. There were similar festivities in all of the surrounding villages where homes and gardens were decorated. The committee's organising secretary Betty James, summed up the successful weekend as follows: 

The jubilant public celebrations of past royal events did not materialise on this occasion. There was not a single street party in Bourne and few public gatherings. The lack of enthusiasm was evident when a public meeting was called by the town council at the Corn Exchange on Monday 28th March 2011 to co-ordinate arrangements because only a handful of people turned up, six members of the public and seven local councillors. The intention was for groups and individuals to organise joint events on the day but in the event little progress was made.

The Mayor of Bourne, Councillor Pet Moisey, who took the chair, said afterwards: "The meeting was over in half an hour and nothing was decided. It was all very disappointing."

On the day, the Union flag fluttered from the front of the town hall but there were no decorations in the streets and the town was practically deserted as most people appeared to have stayed at home to watch the ceremony on television.

It was, however, a particularly memorable occasion for Mrs Amelia Rolt, aged 83, of Abbots Close, Bourne, who had sent off a poem which she had composed for her granddaughter's wedding to the royal couple at Buckingham Palace. "I thought they might also like it and to my surprise I actually got a reply thanking me", she said. "It was only a short poem but it is surprising what you can say in a few words and it offered some good advice."

As you take this special step in your life
As you walk down the aisle as husband and wife
Your sense of humour will play a big part
In cementing the love that lies in your heart.

The reply from an aide at the palace said: "Miss Middleton was touched by your kind poem and she has asked me to send you her warmest thanks and best wishes."

The public were invited to the Salvation Army Hall in Manning Road where a big screen television had been installed to show the ceremony from 10 am onwards with refreshments being served throughout the day with slices of a celebration cake. Residents at the Digby Court residential care home who remembered the street parties of old held one inside, reminiscent of the celebrations of yesteryear, from 4.30 pm onwards, with special cakes served on a red, white and blue tablecloth and dancing afterwards, while Brownies and their parents flocked to their headquarters at the Shippon Barn in the Wellhead Gardens for a get-together.

Most of the schools were on holiday except the Willoughby School where 120 youngsters with various disabilities who receive specialist training turned out to celebrate, having made hats and bunting to decorate the premises. Headteacher Adam Booker said that the event was designed to give pupils the chance of a special kind of experience. "These events on such a large national scale do not come around every year and we did not want them to miss it", he said.

At Folkingham there was a children's party during the afternoon on the village green decorated with flags and bunting with games and refreshments attended by 50 youngsters, some wearing tiaras and wedding dresses. At Haconby, classic aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flew overhead, two of the aircrew living in the village, and 300 residents took part in quizzes and treasure hunts. At Rippingale, residents of the Willows residential care home held a celebration tea with singing and dancing afterwards. At Manthorpe, 130 villagers celebrated with a meal provided by the parish council followed by games and competition.

The following day, Saturday, a wedding tea party was held at the Abbey Church hall in Church Walk where the attractions included an exhibition of royal wedding memorabilia such as mugs from past silver and golden royal jubilees and commemorative coins, personal scrapbooks from guests and a children's competition for the best dressed bride and groom. Seventy people turned up for the event including the Mayor of Bourne, Councillor Pet Moisey. But the biggest event in the town was undoubtedly a wedding exhibition at the Heritage Centre in South Street staged by the Civic Society which ran for three weeks.

The lack of interest in the town was reflected in the correspondence columns of The Local newspaper two weeks later (May 13th) when Margaret Osborne, of George Street, Bourne,  recorded her disappointment. "Can I say how sad I was that Bourne showed no interest in the royal wedding", she wrote. "The shops and estate agents could have taken the lead with displays as their windows are good showpieces. A few places did make an effort but what a shame that no leadership was shown by the town council."

See also

The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II

The royal wedding exhibition of 2011

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